Becoming Tiara Gold
by Melody Malone
Summary: One-shot about Tiara before she transferred. After being treated so badly by her best friend in London, she decides to reinvent herself to get exactly what she wants at East High. *hsm3 spoiler warning apparently, even though i dont see it*


**AN: This is just a little oneshot that came to mind soon after I saw High School Musical 3. I LOVE Jemma McKenzie-Brown, and I think Tiara will be a really interesting character in the obvious HSM4 she'll be lead in. We're ignoring the fact that the London Academy of Dramatic Arts minimum age requirement is 18, because apparently so did HSM3 lol.**

**Becoming Tiara Gold**

Rebecca Gold looked up at the towering building in front of her, and shivered. A new school, and sharing an apartment with a group of girls she'd never met before. Just another change in her life she hadn't been looking forward to. It had only been seven months since her parents divorce, five months since her mother had won custody of her, and two months since her mum started dating a property tycoon from New Mexico, and wanted her out of the way. She had always wanted to attend LAMDA, and she knew she was good enough to, but when her mother said she'd pay for her tuition, she never imagined her mum meant she'd move down to London on her own, just so she and her boyfriend could have the house to themselves. She realised how weird she must look standing outside, so went in, and after getting her class schedule, she entered her first class, with everyone looking at her.  
"Who are you?" Asked one girl, rather rudely.  
"Rebecca...Rebecca Gold." She replied, quite timidly and quietly. She was ashamed of her thick Yorkshire accent, and tried to hide it as much as possible. The girl looked her up and down, in a disapproving manner.  
" Janine." She replied, and Rebecca guessed that she was sharing her name, too. "Girls, looks like we have a new student. She suddenly smiled, and two other girls walked over. "It's great to meet you!" Janine's voice and facial expression suddenly changed. "You're going to love it here, after all, we're the crème de la crème, are we not?"  
"Um...I guess." Muttered Rebecca. Soon after the class instructor came and started their lesson, which was only an introduction, and then announced they were free to leave.

Rebecca quickly rushed to her new apartment. The girls she was sharing with hadn't been there when she dropped her things off, and she hadn't had a chance to look around when she got there, having only got the train down to London that morning, and had been running late as it was.  
"Oh wow!" She heard a voice as she was sitting on the sofa, reading a magazine. "Rebecca, I can't believe it's you!" She looked over her magazine, and she saw Janine come in the door with her friends, dropping her keys into a bowl near the front door. "You're our new housemate? How perfect." She went over, and gave Rebecca a hug. "This'll be so great! You'll have to tell me all about yourself!" Rebecca obliged, talking about her mum's divorce, and the new guy she was dating. She forgot about her nerves the more she spoke, but was stopped silent when Janine started laughing.  
"Oh my god! What is with the accent, honey!" Rebecca blushed. When she got carried away, her accent tended to slip out.  
"N-nothing. I'm from Yorkshire...that's all..." She muttered, instantly trying to annunciate everything she said.  
"Well it's very...unique." Janine giggled. "Anyway, we have to be going. Coming with? We're going to a club."  
"But...we're not old enough..."  
"Our fake IDs don't say that. We can get you one on the way, don't worry about it." Assured Janine. Rebecca nodded, grabbing her purse, and following the other girls out of the room. The one advice her mum had given her was to make sure that she made friends, constantly reminding her that she needs friends in show business. Her mum had been a struggling actress before she was born, and Rebecca was sure she resented her, and blamed her for her not being able to continue her career.

When she woke up the next morning, her head thumped. This was the first hangover she'd ever had, and she couldn't imagine there being one as painful as hers. Janine had encouraged her to keep drinking shots, and she wasn't used to this much alcohol.  
"Rebecca come on, we're going to be late for class!" Called Janine, knocking loudly on her bedroom door.  
"Ugh...I feel awful..." She muttered, opening her door.  
"You look it too! Don't worry we'll let people know you weren't feeling well, you sleep it off." Smiled Janine, softly. Rebecca smiled.  
"Thanks...I appreciate it." She said, closing her bedroom door, and going back to sleep. She was pleased her and Janine had hit things off so well, and her other friends seemed cool as well. Rebecca's restful sleep was disturbed a few hours later by her phone ringing. Groaning in annoyance, she reached onto her bedside table, and answered the phone.  
"Hello..." She muttered, sitting up.  
"Miss Gold, where are you! I'm sure you know that classes started today!" Came the snappish voice of one of the staff at the academy.  
"I um...I'm not feeling too well. I...Janine said--"  
"Janine told me how you went drinking last night! She tried to stop you, but you were incredibly stubborn and went out anyway! Very few applicants make it into the school, Miss Gold, don't make me regret choosing you when there are many more dedicated students that could be in your place!"  
"...I'm sorry. I'll be there tomorrow. And every other class day. No exceptions." Sighed Rebecca, hanging up the phone and getting up to search the house for an aspirin. When Janine got home, she apologised heavily to Rebecca, saying how she got distracted by her classes, and never got a chance to speak to the teachers. When Rebecca explained what the teacher had said on the phone, Janine said it was a rumor going around, and not one that had been started by her. Rebecca sighed and accepted this, and the matter was behind them.

The next few months went well for Rebecca. She felt that her skills had improved with every class she attended, her singing voice was getting stronger as well, and she was learning a lot of new tactics. Coming up in the next few weeks were auditions for the productions students at the school would be putting on in various large theatres, and it was known a lot of talent scouts would attend these performances, looking for new stars to pull for West End musicals, and various television shows. The two year acting class, which Rebecca was a part of, was due to put on a production of Les Miserables, and while all the guys in the class fought over who was going to get the longed for parts of Jean Valjean or Marius, the girls discussed who would get the parts of Eponine and Cosette.  
"I'm perfect for Eponine!" Said Janine, sitting on the sofa, and flicking through the TV. Rebecca glanced up from the script, open on the song she was going to audition with, and noticed that Janine was wearing one of her shirts, one she hadn't asked to borrow.  
"You'd be so good at that!" Gushed one of her friends. "I was thinking of trying out for Cosette."  
"I'm trying for Eponine." Smiled Rebecca, ignoring the slight glare that passed over Janine's face. "It should be a lot of fun doing an actual show and not just scenes and skits."  
"I'm sure. Are you sure you should try for Eponine?" Interrupted Janine, rudely. "I mean no offence, but I can see you more as her mother. Are you sure you don't want to try for that role?"  
"No, I really like Eponine's character. I'm drawn to her and--"  
"And singing her solo'll get the most attention. That's the only reason anyone wants the role." Interrupted Janine, again. Rebecca sighed, and went back to her room to work on her song. She pressed play on the CD player, only for a message to appear on the screen 'CD NOT FOUND'. She was about to ask the girls in the sitting room what had happened, when she heard her backing CD blasting through from Janine's bedroom. She sighed and sat down on the bed, running through the song in her head instead.

Two weeks after the rehearsals had finished, all the students who would be involved in the show met in the large theatre that was at the academy.  
"Now, I know you have all waited to hear this, but I have in my hands, the cast list for Les Miserables." Announced one of the teachers, putting on her glasses to read the names out. Rebecca looked at Janine who was sitting next to her, beaming with excitement. She had been practising the part of Eponine all week as if she had already got the part, while Tiara thought it was best to not hope for anything until she was sure, and focused on her schoolwork instead.  
"For the part of Cosette, we have chosen Janine March." Janine's eyes widened in shock.  
"There must be some mistake!" She hissed through her teeth.  
"And for the role of Eponine, we have chosen Rebecca Gold. If for any reason Rebecca is unable to make a performance, Janine will be her understudy." Janine hugged her.  
"This is great! We can practise together and everything! I can't believe we both got lead roles!" Rebecca smiled, and hugged back.  
"I'm just going to call my mum." She said, as the students started to file out of the hall. She quickly rushed back to the apartment, and called her mum.  
"Hello?"  
"Mum, guess what! I'm in a show and--"  
"Oh Becky, I have great news!" Her mum said, interrupting her as soon as she heard her daughter's voice. "Me and Tim...we're getting married! He just proposed to me!"  
"...What?" Whispered Rebecca, holding onto the phone."What about dad?"  
"Well you knew me and your father were never going to get back together. But you haven't heard the even better part yet!"  
"What?" She asked, bored.  
"We're moving to America! Albuquerque to be exact, it's going to be amazing, you're going to love it there."  
"I'm not leaving here! Mum I just got the lead part in a big production! You can't make me leave now!"  
"We're not moving until the end of your term dear, don't worry. And I'm sure your new school will have a nice enough drama department."  
"But nowhere as big as here! This is a prestigious school!"  
"I'm sorry honey, but we're gonna have to go. Let me know about when your show is, and we'll come down to see you. Love you!" As the line went dead, Rebecca sighed. Putting the conversation to the back of her mind, she pulled the script off of her desk, and started reading through her lines.

After two months of preparations, it was finally the opening night of their performance, and had already been told that there were talent scouts out in the audience, but that they'd only be coming on the opening night. Rebecca sat in her dressing room, looking in the mirror, and practicing her breathing exercises when there was a knock on the door.  
"Come in!" She called, and Janine came in, already in her costume for the show.  
"I'm so excited!" She said, hugging Rebecca. "Oh, no flowers?"  
"No um...there was probably a mix up. My mums busy you know...with wedding plans. And...moving plans." She awkwardly said.  
"It's so sad that this is going to be your only chance to let everyone see what you can do." Frowned Janine. "I'm sure you're going to shine out there! I know I am! The number of bouquets that got sent to my room – you'd think I was opening a florist!"  
"Yeah..." Muttered Rebecca. "Well, have a good show, we can catch up in the interval.  
"Yeah! Before I go, I just want you to have this." Janine smiled, and lifting up Rebecca's hair, she placed a necklace around her neck. "It's my good luck charm, and I can tell with your nerves, you're going to need it." Rebecca touched it, and smiled, before hugging Janine.  
"Thank you." She said, before Janine left for her own dressing room.

The first act went well. Rebecca remembered all her cues, and hit the right notes, and everyone seemed to like the show, because of the roaring applause all the songs received. But something didn't feel right. There was a tightening in her throat, and her neck felt like it was burning. At first she put it down to her nerves, but by the end of the first act, she was sure it had to be something more. As the song to bring the curtain down on the first act finished, Rebecca rushed to her dressing room to see what was wrong. She looked down in horror to see a red rash spreading across her neck. As if on cue – and afterwards Rebecca realised it probably was, Janine came into her room.  
"Oh my god, what's wrong!"  
"N-nothing it's just my excema...I must have had a reaction to something..." Rebecca stuttered, trying not to itch at the rash.  
"It looks painful! I'll get the director..." She said, rushing off, and coming back minutes later with a slightly stressed looking director.  
"Rebecca, are you okay?"  
"I'll be fine, really!" She said, trying to reassure him, but her neck was burning painfully right now, and the need to itch was getting worse.  
"No, I can't have you going on like that, you need to get that treated."  
"No! You can't--"  
"I don't care, Rebecca. Your health is more important. Janine, change into your Eponine costume quick, we've got five minutes til curtain up, I've gotta go find your understudy..." He muttered, leaving the room. Once he did, Janine's lip curled.  
"Well, better rush, I have a solo to nail. Course, I can nail it much better than you, and it's time to show those talent scouts that." Rebecca's eyes opened wide.  
"You--"  
"Of course I did it. Wow, I knew you were stupid, but not that stupid. You know, it was a dangerous thing to tell me about your perfume allergy. My 'lucky' necklace is covered in it." She grinned. "Cheer up, you're leaving anyway."  
"But that's not the point! How could you! You were my friend! You were...nice."  
"Hmm...it's called acting. You should try it some time." Sneered Janine, storming out of the dressing room.

While the cast were at the aftershow party, celebrating the opening night, Rebecca was sitting in the apartment, packing her things. She was going home. She'd stay with her mum and her fiance, and then go with them to Albuquerque like was planned. After she finished packing, she looked at a photograph that was in the lounge. It was a picture of her and Janine, as friends, and Rebecca shook her head. It had all been a lie, because Rebecca was too gullible. And that scared her. What if she was the same at this new school, and people found a way to take advantage of her then. So she decided that she wouldn't give them the chance. Not only she had learned a lot from studying at the academy, but she learnt from Janine how to get whatever she wanted. Grabbing her suitcase, she went down to the car.  
"So...America." She said, as her mum pulled away. "We're still going?"  
"Yep. Straight after the wedding. I'm sure you'll love it there."  
"I'll move in with dad." She threatened. "I'll tell him how you sent me away so you could be with your fiance, and I'll move in with him." She stopped the car again.  
"No sweetheart, you don't have to do that, no." She begged. "Please Becky, I'll give you anything you want just, come with me to America..."  
"...Fine." She said, calmly. "Then I want to change my name."  
"Okay, whatever you say." Sniffed her mum. "We'll get all the paperwork you need, and get it done. Just out of curiosity, what do you want to change it to?" Rebecca paused for a minute, and thought about it, before nodding to herself.  
"Tiara. I want to be Tiara Gold."

The week Tiara started at East High, she found herself grinning at the bulletin board as she found her first target. The apparent prima girl of the drama club was leaving at the end of the year, and was in need of a personal assistant. She had heard the name Sharpay Evans from various people around the school, and heard that she was a force to be reckoned with. Tiara shook her head, and grabbed the leaflet. She would use everything she learnt from Janine to take advantage of Sharpay, and then steal the thunder right from under her feet. If she could do it to Sharpay, apparently dubbed the 'Ice Queen', she could do it to anyone. After doing a bit of research by talking to a guy named Zeke, she collected Sharpay's favourite things and stormed over to her locker, instantly putting her acting face on, and smiling at her.  
"Good morning, Miss Evans. I'm Tiara Gold, and I noticed you were in need of a personal assistant."

And thus began Tiara's reign of East High


End file.
